Long COVID risks can be reduced; WHO on post-COVID complications after Omicron

We had 409 million cases of COVID cases we know about, and a significant number of them are suffering from post-COVID, we are working to understand this better every day, said WHO’s Maria Van Kerkhove.

How do vaccines help in reducing chances of long COVID?

Recent studies have suggested that vaccination reduces the risk of developing long COVID, Van Kerkhove said

Similarly, based on as many as 15 studies, UK Health Security Agency not only reduces the chances of long COVID, also people have shown improvement in Long Covid symptoms after taking the vaccine rather than deteriorating.

“For most people symptoms of long COVID are short-lived and resolve over time,” said Dr Mary Ramsay, head of immunization at UKHSA said and added, “But for some, symptoms can be more severe and disrupting to their daily lives.”

“These studies add to the potential benefits of receiving a full course of the COVID-19 vaccination,” Ramsay added.

And, that is another great reason why one should get vaccinated, Van Kerkhove asserted.

What were the UKHSA findings?

• People with Covid who received two doses of the Pfizer, AstraZeneca or Moderna vaccines or one dose of the Janssen vaccine, were about half as likely as people who received one dose or were unvaccinated to develop long-Covid symptoms lasting more than 28 days
• Vaccine effectiveness against most long-Covid symptoms was highest in people aged 60 years and over
• Vaccines may improve rather than Covid worsen symptoms, either immediately or over several weeks

Can you get long COVID after Omicron?

We get a lot of questions regarding what are the chances of people getting Long COVID after Omicron. We don’t have an answer to that yet. But there is no reason to suggest that there would be a difference

What WHO said on long COVID?

Last week, WHO officials said that the long-term effects of the coronavirus can be critical, affecting every part of your body.

When people talk about COVID, they think of it as an upper respiratory disease, but it is more of systemic disease. Literally, it was affecting every part of the cardiovascular system one year down and later, said WHO official Dr. Abdi Mahamud.